Automatic switch-stand.



PATENTED JUNE 4:, 1907.

G. M. HOWE.

AUTOMATIC SWITGH STAND.

APPLIGATIOQ FILED JULY 5, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 856,062." PATENTED JUNE 4; 1907 G. M. HOWE.

" AUTOMATIC SWITCH STAND.

APPLICATION FILED JULYB, 1902.

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No. 856 062. PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907. V

I G. M. HOWE.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH STAND. Am moumn FILED JULY 5, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 k e Llwez No. 856,062. PATENTE'D JUNE 4, 1907. G. M. HOWE.

AUTOMATIG SWITCH STAND.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1902.

4- SHEETS-SHEET 4.

THE NORRIS PETERS co., wAsnmcro1v a. c

GEORGE M. HOl/VE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH-STAND.

No. s5e,ce2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1907.

Application filed July 5,1902. Serial No. 114,390.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. HOWE, of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switch-Stands, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to railroad switches and switch stands and has for its object to provide a switch stand that will operate automatically to close a switch that has been opened to permit the passage of a train.

Many accidents have occurred through the failure of brakemen and switchmen to close switches after opening same to permit trains to pass upon side tracks and where it has been intended that the main track should be clear at all times for through trains.

The particular object of my invention is to provide a switch and switch stand which when once opened to the side track can not be closed while the train is passing the switch and which will automatically close the switch as soon as the train has passed either from or to the side track.

To this end my invention consists generally in a railroad switch in combination with a weighted switch operating lever and a latch rail that is raised when the switch is opened and when depressed by the passing train operates to prepare said weighted lever to fall when the latch rail is freed from the car wheels, to instantly and forcibly close the switch to the main track.

My invention further consists in various details of construction and in combinations of parts all as hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

.Iy invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a railroad track and switch provided with an automatic switch stand embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the latch rail alongside of the railroad rail, on the line :t-a; of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the switch and automatic stand. Fig. 4 illustrates the several parts of the switch stand in perspective. Fig. 5 shows the switch stand with the parts in the position which they occupy when the switch is closed to the main track. Fig. 6 shows the switch as viewed from the line y-y of Fig. 5, the cover of casing being in section. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the parts as they appear when the stand has been operated to open the switch, Fig. 8 is a similar view showing position of parts when the latch rail is de pressed by a car wheel, and Fig. 9 is a view showing the opposite side of the stand with positions as in Fig. 8.

In the drawings 2 and 3 represent the rails of the main track.

4 and 5 represent the rails of the side track and 6 and 7 represent the outside and inside switch points. The switch is of the usual construction, the points being tied together by the yokes 8.

9 represents the switch rod which is attached to the end yoke of the switch. This rod extends to the switch stand and is the means of operating the switch stand and is the means of operating the switch. Its outer end is attached to the lower end of the automatic lever 10 of the switch stand. This lever 10 is secured upon a short shaft 11 that has bearings 12 that rise from the base plate 13 of the switch stand (see Fig. 6.) The hand lever 14 is attached to one end of the shaft 11 and when the same is pulled back to raise the automatic lever 10 the switch will be opened. The automatic lever 10 carries a heavy weight 15 and when the lever is released and falls it forcibly closes the switch. In order that this shall occur only after the train has safely passed off the switch it is necessary to provide means for securing the lever in its raised position and for tripping the same and allowing it to fall after the train has passed. It is also necessary to provide means that will prevent the tripping of the automatic lever so long as a train is moving or standing over the switch. For this purpose I employ a gravity pawl 16 adapted to drop beneath the automatic lever when it is raised and which is thrown out only after the switch has been cleared by the train, and, further, I employ the latch rail 17 at the side of the rail 3 which joins the rail 5. The oflice of this latch rail is to prevent the disengagement of the pawl 16 while the rail is depressed by the train, and when released by the passing of the train to permit the disengagement of said pawl. The pawl 16, preferably, has the integral trunnions 18 that rest in grooves 19 therefor in the base plate 13. It also has the arm 16 whereby the pawl is thrown out For throwing out the pawl 16 I provide two devices, one which is automatic and the other a manual or foot lever. The foot lever 20 is a simple lever pivoted on base plate 13 to engage and raise the arm 16 and thus throw out the pawl 16 to drop the weighted or automaticlever 10. The automatic device is best shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and comprises a small latch or trip lever 21 carrying a small weight 22 and journaled upon the shaft 11. In the end of the lever 21 opposite to the weight 22 is a gravity pawl 23, the same being held in a pivoted socket 24 in the side of the lever 21 and. between the same and the side of the lever 10, both levers being disk-like in form. The short lever 21, it will be seen, is revoluble upon the shaft independently of the lever 10, but the short lever is raised into the position shown in Fig.8, when the automatic lever 10 falls through engagement of the shoulder 25 on the short lever 21 with a smaller shoulder 26 provided upon the side of the lever 10 (see Figs. 4 and 6.) The short lever 21 is connected with the latch rail 17 by means of the latch rod 27, the bell crank 28, the operating rod 29 and the bell crank 30, whereby the fall of the short lever 21 will operate to raise the latch rail 17, and vice versa. The latch rail, as shown in Fi s. 2 and 3 is held close to the head of the rail by means of a number of parallel arms 31 that are pivoted in clips 32 fastened in flanges .of the rail. The longer arms 30 of the bell cranks 30, which connect the latch rail 17 and the operating bar 29, correspond to the parallel links 31. The short arms 30 are offset from the long arms 30 of the links 30 so that the operating bar stands a considerable distance from the latch rail 17. These short arms 30 stand upright and a very short throw of the bar 29 serves to raise and lower the sharply inclined links 31 and therewith the latch rail 17 This connection between the operating bar to the latch rail permits the employment of the small bell crank 28, having a substantially firm journal bearing on the bar 29. The operating members of the switch are inclosed and protected by ahood or casing 33 the lower edges of which are fastened to the base plate 13. The casing has suitable openings for the shaft 11, the foot lever and the latch rods. The automatic lever 10 has an arm 10, which as the weighted end of the lever falls forces aside a spring lock 34 on the casing. lVhen the lever has dropped to close the switch to the main track the spring lock 34 moves beneath the arm or tail 10 or lever 10 and this looks the switch, being necessary to use a key to draw the lock or bolt 34 before the hand lever can be moved to again raise the lever 10 and open the switch.

When the rails are coated with ice or otherwise clogged it may happen that the latch rail will be held in its lower position, in which event the short latch or trip lever 21 would not fall upon the raising of the automatic le- -40, fastened to the base plate.

ver 10, as is necessary to lift the latch rail 17, and to make thefirst movement of the short lever absolutely positive I prefer to provide means for temporarily fastening the short lever to the automatic lever so that it will be forcibly depressed when the latter is raised to open switch. A simple device for this purpose is the short cam lever 35 having an integral pin 36 that is ournaled in the integral socket 37 on the side of the lever 10. The cam end of the part 35 works in the notch 38 of lever 10 and the device 35 is automatically operated by engagement with the stationary cam surfaces 39 on the upright When the lever 10 falls the short lever 22, as before explained, is raised to engagement of the shoulders 25 and 26. This raising of the short lever causes the depression of the latch rail 17 When the lever 10 is dropped the full distance the cam device 35 engages the straight cam surface 39 on part 40 and is moved through the notch 38 taking position above the weight 22 of the lever 21. The raising of the lever 10 and the downward movement of the rail thereon does not affect the cam de vice 35 until the lever 10 has been raised far enough to be caught by the pawl 16, at which time the cam device 35 engages the curved cam surface 39 on part 40 and is 9 thrown back out of engagement with the short lever 21. In the meantime the shortlever 21 has been forcibly depressed with the tail of the automatic lever 10., thus forcibly raising the latch rail 17. The cam device also serves to prevent the opening of the switch when a train is passing.

By referring to Fig. 9 it will be seen that lost motion is provided for between the automatic lever 10 and the switch rod 9, the latter having a slot while the lever is provided with a pin. This is done in order to apply not only the weight but the momentum of the automatic lever to close the switch point to the main rail. I prefer to arrange the lever 10 to receive additional weights as shown in Fig. 3, suitable means, such as bolts 41, being provided for securing the separable weights to the weight that is integral with the lever 10. As shown also in Fig. 3, the base plate 13 is provided with a slot 42 to permit the passage of the web 10 of lever 10 (see Figs. 5 and 6).

The operation of my automatic switch is as follows: The first position of the switch is shown in Fig. 5; that is, with the switch closed to the main track. At this time the automatic lever is down and the latch lever 22 is raised. The gravity pawl 16 is also elevated, being held in such position bythe end of the lever 10. At this time the switch stand is locked by the engagement of the leis pulled back and down. This movement lifts the weighted or automatic lever and depresses the short latch or trip lever 21, the movements of these levers, respectively, opening the switch and raising the latch rail 17. Further, the elevating of the lever 10 permits the pawl 16 to drop beneath the web of the lever 10, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7 and by which the lever will be held in its elevated position and the switch will be firmly locked open. After the switch has been thus opened it may be closed by simply depressing the foot lever 20 to throw out the pawl and permit the automatic lever to fall. The foot lever, however, is seldom used, and cannot be used while a train is passing the open switch, because of the engagement of the lever 21 with the pawl arm 16 as shown in Fig. 8. The switch being open the train may pass either to or from the side track and as soon as it approaches the switch the wheels of the locomotive or car will strike the latch rail 17 and depress it. The depression of the latch rail operates through the bar 29 and bell crank 28 to move the rod 27 out and thus raise the short latch or trip lever 21, as shown in Fig. 8. hen the latch or trip lever 21 is depressed by the weight of the train on the latch rail, its pawl 23 passes the end of the pawl arm 16 and drops beneath the same (see Fig. 8.) The parts remain as in Fig. 8 until the train has passed the switch, whereupon the latch rail being relieved of the weight of the train will be instantly raised by the falling of the short lever 21, which in falling lifts the arm 16 by engagement of its pawl 23 therewith, and instantly the heavy automatic lever 10 will drop and picking up the rod 9 will forcibly jerk or draw the switch point back against the main rail 3, all parts returning to the position illustrated in Fig. 5.

It is obvious that numerous modifications of my invention will suggest themselves to one' skilled in the art and I therefore do not confine my invention 'to the specific construction herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of the railroad switch and rails with an automatic lever connected with the switch points, means for holding the same in the open position, a latch rail and an automatic latch lever operable therewith when depressed and having attached thereto a pawl adapted when said rail is free to liberate said automatic lever, as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the railroad rails and switch with a switch closing weight, means for opening the switch and elevating said weight, means for holding the weight elevated, a device depressible by a passing train, an automatic latch or trip operable by said device when depressed and when said device is released operable to release said weight and said latch'device being restored by the fall of said weight and by such movement depressing said depressible device.

3. The combination of the railroad rails and switch with the automatic switch closing lever connected to the switch points, the pawl for said lever, the latch rail and the pawl tripping lever connected with said latch rail, said pawl tripping lever being operable in one direction by said automatic lever.

41. The combination of the railroad rails and switch with the automatic switch closing lever connected to the switch points, the pawl for said lever, the latch rail and the pawl tripping lever connected with said latch rail, said pawl trip lever being operable in one direction by said automatic lever and said latch tripping lever being operable in both directions by said automatic lever, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the railroad rails and switch with the automatic switch closing lever connected to the switch points, the pawl for said lever, the latch rail and the pawl tripping lever connected with said latch rail, said pawl tripping lever being operable in one direction by said automatic lever, said latch tripping lever being operable in both directions by said automatic lever and means for liberating said tripping lever from said automatic lever when the latter has been raised or set, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the railroad rails and switch with the trip rail vertically and longitudinally movable for depression by a TOG train entering or moving from the side track,

the switch closing lever connected with the switch points, means for elevating the same to open the switch, the pawl for said lever, the trip or latch lever connected with said latch rail and operable to trip said pawl and free said switch closing lever, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the railroad rails and switch with the weighted lever connected with the switch points, the pawl for said lever, the latchrail arranged alongside the continuous main and side rail and depressible by a passing train, the latch or trip lever for operating said pawl and means connecting said latch rail and latch lever for operation one by the other, substantially as de scribed.

8. The combination of the railroad rails and switch with the gravity operated lever connected with the switch points, the pawl for said lever, the latch rail arranged alongside the continuous main and side rail and depressible by a passing train, the gravity operated latch or trip lever for operating said pawl, means connecting said latch rail and gravity operated latch lever for operation one by the other and means whereby upon the fall of said gravity switch lever it raises the latch lever, substantially as described.

9. The combination of the railroad rails and switch with the latch rail 17, the parallel links supporting the same, the bar 29, the bell crank connections between said bar and latch rail and levers for operating said bar, substantially as described.

10. The combination of the railroad rails and switch with the latch rail 17, the parallel links supporting the same, the bar 29, the bell crank connections between said bar and latch rail, the horizontally arranged lever 28 for operating said bar, a weighted lever ele- Vated and temporarily locked when the switch is opened and automatic means actuated by said bell crank 28 for freeing said weighted lever, substantially as described.

11. The automatic switch stand comprising the weighted lever 10 in combination with the gravity pawl 16, the weighted latch lever 21 having a pawl to engage and operate said the latter, substantially as described.

13. The automatic switch stand comprising the shaft 11, having suitable bearings, in combination with the weighted lever 10 upon said shaft, the hand lever for operating the same, the latch lever journaled upon said shaft and having a shoulder for operation by said lever 10 and the pawl 16 having an arm for operation by said latch lever, substantially as described.

14. The automatic switch stand comprising the base plate 13, the pawl 16 having a socket pivot therein, the shaft 11 supported above said plate, the automatic lever 10 on said shaft for engagement by said pawl and the automatic latch or trip lever 21 journaled on said shaft for operating said pawl, substantially as described.

15. In an automatic switch stand, the disk-like lever 10 and the disk-like lever 21, both weighted, in combination with the common shaft therefor, the pawl 23 held in said lever 21 and between the same and the lever 10, the pawl 16 suitably pivoted and having an arm for engagement by said pawl 23 and the switch and latch rods 9 and 27 connected with said levers 10 and 21, respectively, substantially as described.

16. In an automatic switch stand, the

combination of the suitably pivoted weighted lever 10, the latch rod 9 having a lost motion connection with said. lever 10, means for holding said lever 10 in an elevated position, the latch rod 27 and means connected therewith for releasing said lever 10, substantially as described.

18. The combination of the continuous main and side rails 3, '5 and the switch point 7 with the latch rail 17 arranged alongside of said rail 3, 5 and extending in both directions from said switch point, the parallel links 31 for said rail 17, the bar 29, the bell cranks 30 having arms parallel with said links 31 and having substantially vertical arms connected with said bar 29 and means for moving said bar 29 longitudinally, substantially as described.

19. The combination of the railroad rails and switch with the switch operating lever connected with the switch, a pawl for said lever, a latch rail and a latch lever connected therewith and adapted to engage said pawl to prevent the movement thereof when said rail is depressed by a passing train and also adapted to operate said pawl when the train has passed, substantially as described.

20. An automatic switch-stand, comprising a weighted switch-lever, in combination with a gravity-pawl, a weighted latch-lever, for operating said gravity-pawl, having a pawl attached thereto. said latch-lever being operable in one direction by gravity and in the other by said weighted lever, a latch-rail, means connecting said latch-lever with said rail, and means for raising said weighted lever, substantially as described.

21. In combination with the railroad and switch-rails, an automatic switchstand, comprising a weighted lever for operating said switch, a gravity-pawl for said lever but unattached thereto, an automatic trip-lever having a pawl thereto attached and adapted to operate said gravity-pawl, means for releasing said. gravity-pawl independent of said trip-lever, and means for raising said weighted lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses, this 28th day of May, 1902.

GEORGE M. HOWE. In the presence 0f- J. W. BECKSTROM, G. G. HAWLEY. 

